Active Sussex Conference 2025: Physical literacy, Active Environments and system change in focus

Physical literacy, active environments, and embracing system change were at the heart of this year’s Active Sussex Conference.

The event was held at the American Express Stadium in Brighton on Tuesday, September 23, and brought together 100 delegates from across the county to share ideas, learn from one another, and explore how to create positive, sustainable change in sport and physical activity.

Exploring physical literacy

The day began with a keynote from Andy Wright, Strategic Relationship Manager for Children and Young People, who highlighted the importance of physical literacy across the entire life cycle.

He explored how physical activity has the power to motivate people to move, connect, think, and feel – shaping behaviour and supporting lifelong habits.

Quoting basketball coach John Wooden, Andy said: “A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change your life.”

Andy also celebrated the impact of the Play Their Way project before handing over to Rebecca Skinner from Active Devon, who shared their inspirational journey in embedding physical literacy.

She reflected on its role as a unifying concept, transferable across contexts, and the importance of weaving it into culture, policy, and everyday practice.

This was followed by an important session from Active Sussex’s Sport Welfare Officers, who outlined how they work with partners to create safer cultures across sport and physical activity.

Reflecting on the morning, Andy said: “This was a great opportunity to raise the profile of physical literacy and bring it to life in Sussex. Rebecca’s experience from Active Devon was truly inspiring, and it was brilliant to finish with a focus on welfare and safety.

“The feedback from delegates was really positive, and I look forward to growing awareness of physical literacy in Sussex and using it as a foundation to support healthy, active lives.”

Innovation Station: Community-led change

The Innovation Station once again provided a platform to showcase pioneering projects.

Laura Appleton and Matthew Wassell, from Mencap, presented Our Active Community in Worthing – a Sport England-funded project designed to empower people with learning disabilities to lead active lives.

Nicky Chisholm, organiser of the Big Swim 2026, highlighted the need to diversify participation and encourage more people from underrepresented communities to get involved.

Mauritian-born Jean Evenor, founder of Limitless Youth Football CIC, Crawley, shared how his organisation empowers young people through football, both on and off the pitch.

Pam Gordon, from Rise Life, spoke about introducing adapted seated sport sessions in care homes and the importance of collaboration to maximise resources and opportunities.

Jack Langston from ActiveMe 360, explained the organisation’s focus on holiday clubs, Swim Ed, and targeted support for children and families most in need.

Rethinking Active Environments

The third part of the conference focused on Active Environments – one of Sport England’s Uniting the Movement’s five big issues – and how the places we live influence our ability to be active.

Delegates heard from Gemma Hyde, Project and Policy Manager at the Town and Country Planning Association, via a pre-recorded presentation. In it, she stressed the importance of designing good places to live where activity is an easy choice.

Following this, the discussion, led by David Taylor from Active Sussex, examined how to reframe the purpose of spaces, from removing ‘No Ball Games’ signs to making play a central part of childhood, and ensuring spaces are inclusive and welcoming for girls.

One memorable statistic revealed that most parks have more facilities for dog waste than for teenage girls – a point that resonated strongly with many in attendance.

Afterwards, David said: “It is important to note there’s no such thing as a ‘neutral space’. The places and spaces around us can have a positive or negative impact on whether, how, when, and where we move.

“We need to keep in mind that community spaces, such as parks and recreation grounds, attract people who may never go to a sports club or leisure centre, so we must ensure that these spaces encourage visitors to be active.

“We must also work with the least active members of our communities to find out what will make everyday activity the easy choice for them from their front door.”

Embracing system change

The final session of the day shifted to the bigger picture. Christine Gibbons, Chair of Trustees, discussed the changes underway at Active Sussex and the importance of looking forward with ambition and clarity.

Active Sussex’s new CEO, Anthony Statham, built on this with a thought-provoking presentation on the role of sport and physical activity within wider systems, including health, environment, education, transport, and justice.

He explored the Government’s 10-year plan for health, upcoming changes to school sport, and the impact of devolution and local government reorganisation in Sussex.

Anthony reflected: “As change continues across our communities, we have a golden opportunity to embed sport, physical activity and movement into the very systems that influence health, education, transport and beyond.

“The conference was a valuable space for partners to reflect on this challenge and explore the vital themes of physical literacy, active design and system change.”

Looking ahead

The 2025 conference brought together voices from across Sussex and beyond, sparking vital conversations about how we embed physical literacy, reimagine our environments, and embrace system-wide change.

With so many passionate individuals and organisations working collaboratively, Active Sussex is confident that these ideas will translate into action – ensuring that everyone across the county has the opportunity to lead healthy, active lives.